Is Megumi a little disappointed that Piro didn't take her up on the offer?

--------------------'The secret of lesbian porn is the self-insertion fantasy, the feeling of "You know, the right dick could turn those clam-licking hotties into hot wet sex fiends... and I am that brave dick." Keep that in mind' - Dom

Ashe and Megumi's side conversation is crack. XD I am in love with Ashe already.

Oh, not enough to get her tattooed next to Miho, but still, I hope we see more of her.

As for Megumi, something I have been thinking on is how peeved she has been for this whole series of events. Other than the occasional fake smile for onlookers and her "reassurance" of Captain Guilty Conscious in the first few panels she has looked like she is determined to start eating her way through the closest sea wall. It was mentioned in the Twitch stream that we just had Megumi ask if she could borrow Junpei from Mugi (in ways that did not imply she was asking for him to assassinate the yappy dog next door), and watched Piro and Kimiko making out under a blanket in the back seat. I think she is thinking very angrily single right now and Ashe's little joke struck a nerve.

EDIT: Jaysus, cidjen. That didn't even occur to me. This being MT, I was pretty sure that something would ensure that Kimiko did not end up playing games using Piro's joystick even though she quite wants to. But what you just suggested actually sounds like the sort of disaster Kimiko would walk quite willfully into.

EDIT: Jaysus, cidjen. That didn't even occur to me. This being MT, I was pretty sure that something would ensure that Kimiko did not end up playing games using Piro's joystick even though she quite wants to. But what you just suggested actually sounds like the sort of disaster Kimiko would walk quite willfully into.

I really, really hope we don't go there again. The whole "this is totally a set up for them having sex but then they don't" thing. Fred's already done that. Either have them consumate or break them up.

It should be tasteful, of course, and not portrayed "on screen." But don't go for the overused ecchi manga cliche of keeping them on the border of it for eternity.

Wonder if Kimiko is going to suggest that they log on to Endgames, then she will find out about Pirogoeth's 'little polygon bump'...?

That reminds me: Fred has said that William Gibson, and in particular his novel Idoru, are one of his sources of inspiration. There is a scene in Idoru where two youngsters, a boy and a girl, become involved in something that puts them on the run from The Powers That Be and they hide out in a love hotel with the help of a third party. The place was chosen because it's dedication to customer privacy included anonymous internet access.

IdoruShow

It didn't help them. They were found anyway, fortunately by players who meant them no harm. They escaped with the unwitting help of a fan horde.

Of course, in the era that Idoru was written in (about the same era of Internet history when Megatokyo started) anonymous reposting flew under the radar of most people and really was a way to go online with little fear of repercussions. Today, any kind of VPN or Tor node is watched like a hawk by Stability and Horde alike. The Foxhole is kind of a throwback to another decade so it may be putting a lot of faith in means of privacy that have become a liability.

In any case, things will almost certainly go sideways if they log onto Endgames from here.

And if things are already sideways, will they become normal if they go sideways again? Or will they turn inside out or do something truly phreaky?

SD seems to no longer need the tinfoil hat that it had made from merciless hammering on Occam's Razor. This is a strange state of affairs. I do hope that it finds the need for it again someday.

I really, really hope we don't go there again. The whole "this is totally a set up for them having sex but then they don't" thing. Fred's already done that. Either have them consumate or break them up.

To be fair to Fred, he has actually already given us a consumation off screen. Chapter 10. The scene in which Largo and Erika are dressed in steampunk outfits and crashing the Cave of Evil (along with nearly every single other character) is full of innuendo and (anticipatory, not awkward) sexual tension between the two. Unlike the last time we built up to a sex scene between them only for Largo to blow it (literally), this time they are both very bold, confident, and alive. Which leads to the final two panels of this page.

Erika: So, Sir Knight. What about this princess? Have my adventures for the evening ended?

Largo: The night is young.

That is some implicatory language right there. Sitting on the train, still in very, VERY steamy clothes (pun intended), Largo and Erika confirm that their night is only just starting and, given their rather sexually charged behavior to this point, one can definitely think of one possible direction they'll be going taking that in. Then we hit Chapter 11. Largo is not home when Piro returns from his night in jail. Kimiko confirms that he's probably still out with Erika. And what do we see when we finally do see Erika and Largo again?

On top of the train. They're still in the same clothes (meaning they never went to where they had a change of outfits), disheveled, and both wearing the sort of s**t eating grins only the well and truly satisfied can sport. Look particularly at Erika's face in this and the next several pages. Erika's eyes have NEVER been that relaxed, and she's never had a soft little smile before. Even when she is implying that Piro needs to watch his arse around Kimiko after last night, she. is. still. MELLOW.

And when asked how she is? "Oh. I'm fine. Couldn't be better."

That lady got LAID.

So it's only a question of whether or not Kimiko and Piro catch up, or mess up.

I really, really hope we don't go there again. The whole "this is totally a set up for them having sex but then they don't" thing. Fred's already done that. Either have them consumate or break them up.

No, that's the sign language that Ashe (the foxgirl) and Megumi are using. Ashe is deaf (per Fred on the Twitch chat).

Oh… thanks for that — I was going to ask the same thing… =D

Nice post, a lot of different facial expressions on Megumi’s part, here.

Oh and, by the way, in my opinion, sex is neither a necessary nor an obligatory ingredient for a romantic story to work well.
I think the physical attraction and tension are both a natural part of life, though — and they make better stories than actual consummation.

Needless to say, I do not agree with everything professed in this thread so far. As far as I’m concerned, having a great time together does not *have* to incorporate ‘getting laid’. And I imagine Largo and Erika to have a somewhat richer imagination — and a broader idea of an in-depth relationship.

Besides… I think the alarmed squeaking of a shocked conscience in the form of a hamster wouldn’t do much for the mood. =D

You are, of course, correct. Sex does not have to be involved for people to have a good time, or for a good romantic story or interlude to take place. But it is also a very natural part of life and (this being my own opinion, you are free to disagree) I feel that we do ourselves a disservice as a society to somehow ignore it or treat it as something best kept not talked about.

I am, of course, not exactly in the majority with my views on the matter, however, so yeah...

But this is a big part of why, even though I write a lot of fanfic, I don't write MT fanfic. I can't afford to buy stock in torch and pitchfork companies before the mob gets to me. XD

EDIT: Jaysus, cidjen. That didn't even occur to me. This being MT, I was pretty sure that something would ensure that Kimiko did not end up playing games using Piro's joystick even though she quite wants to. But what you just suggested actually sounds like the sort of disaster Kimiko would walk quite willfully into.

Sounded about logical in this setup to me anyway... Not that I want this to happen. Pure speculation on my end. I hope we will get some sort of closure when the time comes.

Ok so they snuffed a bit on the back seat on the way. She got some of what she was longing for, so has he . I think she has this room conversation rehearsed in her mind already, the choices are set, and there will be some surprises... The night is still young.